The Curse That Lead to a Blessing
by Destiel0205
Summary: When Merlin is acting strangely, Arthur notices. When he investigates, what he found is not what he expected. Merthur magic reveal fic. Really terrible summary, but I didn't want to give anything away. Please read!
1. Eyes

**Hi! Thanks or reading my first ever fic! Because this is my first fic, I would really appreciate reviews with writing tips or really any kind of advice. Note- this takes place between season 3 and season 4. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing, absolutely nothing. zilch. nada. nix.**

* * *

Crash!

"Ow!" Gwaine exclaimed.

"Merlin, you absolute idiot!" Cried Arthur.

"Sorry!"

Arthur chuckled softly at his manservant's unbelievable clumsiness. This time, Merlin had managed to drop the cooking pot (thankfully before it had food in it) on Gwaine's foot. Said knight was now chasing Merlin around the camp, shouting obscenities. Arthur reached over and pretended to cover Gwen's ears. "Hey!" He shouted, "There is a woman present!"

Arthur was on a hunting trip with Gwaine, Percival, and Merlin. At least, according to his father he was. In reality, he was on a secret date with Gwen. However, the others had to come along to make it more believable, so the couple was getting little time alone.

Currently, Arthur was sitting next to Gwen on a convenient log -honestly, why was there always a log- and watching everyone else. Gwaine and Percival were up on their feet, making sure no one came near. They were both incredibly loyal, and he had only just knighted them!

He cast a glance at Merlin, surprised to see him already looking at Arthur. His eyes were sad, with a hint of- was that jealously? Arthur didn't have enough time to be certain, because as soon as Merlin's eyes met his own, the servant looked away.

* * *

"Dinner's ready!" announced Merlin in a mock falsetto. The others, Arthur included, lined up to receive their meal. As Merlin scooped clumps of doesn't-look-edible soup into Arthur's bowl, their eyes met for a split second. In Merlin's eyes he saw that same sad, longing look.

It confused Arthur, so he looked away and returned to his perch beside Gwen, while Merlin took a seat opposite him. Arthur purposefully avoided Merlin's gaze, but he could feel it burning into the top of his head. Slowly, Arthur lifted his head and met Merlin's glittering blue ey- wait, no, this is Merlin. Anyway, he met Merlin's eyes and found himself unable to look away. The blue ovals seemed to give Arthur a view directly to Merlin's heart, and the only emotions he saw there were sadness, guilt, and a hint of jealousy.

* * *

An urgent-sounding Percival jolted the two away from eachother's stares. "Arthur! It's Morgana!"

Immediately Arthur jumped up, helping Gwen up with him. "Merlin, protect Gwen, Gwaine and Percival, with me!" He cried in a tone of authority.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Merlin run off into the forest with Gwen. Good, he thought, Merlin will keep her safe. Gwaine, Percival, and Arthur ran off in the opposite direction, heading towards where Percival had spotted Morgana.

It was when they got to the top of a hill that they saw her. It was just her, all alone. Still, Arthur knew how dangerous her magic could be. Even without help she could kill all of them. Arthur pushed these thoughts from his mind and charged, uttering a battle cry. As he'd expected, Morgana simply threw the three of them through the air, her eyes glowing gold.

As the back of his head hit a tree, everything faded to black.


	2. The Unknown Injury

**Hi Guys! I'd _really _appreciate reviews/writing tips! Here's the disclaimer:**

**I own nothing. literally nothing.**

* * *

When Arthur came to, he immediately looked for Merlin. Why? He had no idea. Anyway, he found Merlin standing -was that triumphantly- over an unconscious Morgana. Arthur was curious.

"Merlin?" He called, rather weakly.

"Arthur! You're okay!" Merlin ran, no, limped, over to Arthur and helped him up.

After he got his footing, Arthur asked what had gone through his mind. "Merlin, did you knock Morgana, a sorceress, no, a _high priestess, _unconscious?"

For a second, Arthur could swear Merlin faltered. But in a second's time, he plastered his ever-so-familiar grin on his face. "I don't know!" He replied, "I was unconscious like you, Gwaine, and Percival."

Arthur was happy with this, but after a moment he realized he was missing the person whom he was _supposed _to be worried about. "Merlin," He started, "Where's Gwen?"

Merlin seemed to wonder who Gwen was for a minute, and Arthur internally sighed, but after a moment he replied, "I left her back at the camp so I could go looking for you-uh, all of you."

Arthur nodded his approval and Merlin helped him to his feet. The two of them woke Gwaine and Percival, and then the quartet headed back to camp.

* * *

While they were walking, Arthur couldn't help but notice Merlin's limp again. He vowed to ask him about it later.

When they returned, Gwen was sitting on the same log that she and Arthur had sat on earlier. The moment she saw them, her face lit up. However, Arthur couldn't help but notice that Merlin's face sunk, but it was back to a cheery grin in only a moment's time.

* * *

It was very late, and the party got out their bed rolls and lay down to sleep. Arthur chose a spot between Gwen and Merlin, so that he could talk to the latter. "Merlin," He whispered, "are you still awake?"

"Mmmhmmm" was Merlin's only reply.

Arthur sighed, gathering his confidence, and began, "Merlin, are you alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, _Mer_lin, I saw you limping earlier. Are you alright?" Arthur asked.

"Oh, that. Yeah, I don't really know myself. Guess I ran into a tree and scraped my leg or something. It doesn't hurt, though." Merlin replied.

Arthur didn't believe him, but he figured it was a lost cause to argue, so he smirked and said, "Ever the clumsy idiot, _Merl_in."

"Hey, I resent that, you dollop-head."

Arthur sighed tiredly, "Goodnight, Merlin"

"Goodnight, Arthur."


	3. Playful Banter

**Enjoying it so far? I hope so! **

**I own nothing. If I did, Arthur would still be alive.**

* * *

The group returned to Camelot the next day, after vowing not to speak of their run-in with Morgana. It was Gwen's idea. She is the smartest, Arthur had thought. After all, this was meant to be a hunting trip. Speaking of which, the king was not too happy when Arthur came back with no animals. The punishment was light for Arthur; a simple denial of sweet rolls at dinner. He could live with that. After all, Merlin always snuck him some from the kitchens even when he was allowed to eat them.

Aside from an angry father, everything seemed to be normal for Arthur- seemed being the key word here.

* * *

One day, Merlin was in Arthur's chambers, helping him get dressed for. He had come into his room at an absolutely ungodly hour, and thrown the curtains aside, harshly waking Arthur with his signature, "Up you get!" Merlin then proceeded to shove some bread into Arthur's mouth as breakfast. When Arthur refused to get out of bed, Merlin had literally dragged him off and pulled him down, crashing to the floor.

Normally, this would amuse Arthur, but Merlin still had that limp. In fact, from Arthur's point of view, it looked worse by the minute. No simple trip could cause that.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"Hmm?"

"Have you had Gaius look at that limp of yours? It seems worse than before." Now that Arthur could see Merlin moving around his chambers fetching clothes, he could see that it wasn't just getting worse; he was favoring his right arm, and holding his left over his chest when he thought Arthur wasn't looking.

"Yes, Gaius has looked at it. He said it'll get better in time." Merlin replied. Arthur knew him well, though, and could tell when he was lying. However, Arthur didn't really feel like bothering to ask- he knew he'd just get more lies in response. It was better to just change the subject.

"Well, maybe if you weren't such a clumsy idiot, walking into trees and such, you'd be fine!"

"Prat"

"Idiot"

"Dollop-head" Arthur sighed and shook his head, but he couldn't keep the grin from his face. This was normal. The serious air that had surrounded the two earlier was foreign and unwelcome. When he met Merlin's crystal blu- no, eyes- he could see him smiling too. _Good_, he thought. _A sad Merlin is no fun. _

Arthur gave Merlin his orders for the day, and Merlin promptly left with a playful scowl on his face. He didn't think Arthur saw the grimace of pain he released as he left, but he did. By that point, Arthur was seriously worried. If Merlin was hurt that badly, why didn't he tell anyone? More importantly, why didn't he tell Arthur?


	4. Voices and Curses

**Hello again! Just a note, I've been updating this a lot, but it probably won't last. I'm going to my grandma's house for Easter, and then I've got final exams at school. **

**Also, I went back and changed the first three chapters to have ANs. **

**And finally, thank you to those who reviewed, and this chapter is longer, as per request. I know it's still really short, but I'm working on it.**

* * *

It's a few days later. Arthur was sitting in his chair, looking out the window, and thinking. Since they returned, Merlin's limp only became more and more obvious to Arthur. _If it was only a cut, it would have healed by now. _From there, Arthur couldn't stop his mind from wandering and thinking about what _really_ happened to him. _Was it Morgana? Did she do something to him? If she did, how dare she. If she hurt Merlin, I will kill her! _But then he wondered why Merlin meant so much to him. He was only his servant, after all.

A voice in the back of his head seemed to think differently." _No," _it said, "_Merlin is much more than a servant to you. You're risked your life for him many times, and would do so again without hesitation."_

It was right. But what does that mean?

"_He's you're friend, if nothing more. At least admit that."_

Fine. Yes. Merlin was Arthur's friend.

"_He's more than that, and we both know it."_

What did it mean? Best friend?

"_No, you ignorant dingbat, think!"_

Arthur was thinking, but he didn't understand what he was supposed to be thinking about.

The voice sighed, and suddenly images of Merlin's sharp cheekbones, luscious red lips, and sparkling sapphire eyes, contrasted with his soft raven hair.

Ah. Arthur understood now. However, he knew that he couldn't act on these feelings. For now, he'd keep it secret. Maybe forever.

The voice chuckled and faded out, leaving Arthur to his empty room.

* * *

The next day, Arthur was staring at the floor, waiting for his lunch to be brought to him. When Merlin entered, without knocking as usual, Arthur looked up.

Merlin didn't look too good. There were bags under his eyes and his naturally pale skin appeared bleached. As he approached, Arthur noticed that his limp had progressed to the point that he was virtually dragging his leg behind him.

"Good afternoon, sire!" Called Merlin in what Arthur assumed was supposed to be a cheerful voice, but actually sounded morbid, as he set Arthur's lunch on the table.

"Merlin, are you sure you're alright?" Arthur asked, genuinely concerned.

For a second, Merlin looked like he was going to tell Arthur the truth, but then he slapped a grin on his face and said, "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Arthur opened his mouth to protest when he saw Merlin lose his balance, threatening to fall. Before he could think, Arthur had jumped out of his seat to catch Merlin before he could hit the floor.

Merlin let out a squeak and squeezed his eyes shut, but Arthur wrapped his arms protectively around Merlin's waist, preventing him from moving.

The two stayed there, in that position for a very long time before Merlin asked, "Uh, Arthur?"

Arthur was pulled from his trance-like state and replied, "Yes?"

"Are you going to let go anytime soon?"

"Oh! Yes, yes," he answered as he unwrapped his arms form Merlin's waist, "sorry."

"Never mind me, Arthur, are you sure_ you're _okay? I mean, Arthur the prat Pendragon doesn't just go around apologizing!" Merlin said, walking towards the door.

Arthur sat down in his chair, facing away from Merlin, and sighed, "You know you can't speak to me like that, idiot." He sat, waiting for a snarky reply, but all he got was silence.

"Merlin?" He asked. There was a heavy thump, like a body hitting the floor and Arthur immediately stood and ran over to the source of the noise.

"Merlin!" He cried, now straddling Merlin's unconscious body. He shook him gently, trying to wake him. "Guards!" he called, "guards!"

The guards posted outside the prince's chambers bolted in and saw the scene. "Get Gaius," Arthur ordered. "You heard me, get Gaius!" The guards turned and ran out the room to Gaius's chambers, leaving Arthur to protect Merlin.

_Why did he collapse?_


	5. Why?

**First off, I'd like to apologize. Mainly for two things. One, I'm crap at titles, as you may have noticed, and two, these chapters are still _way _too short. I try to write longer, but the chapter comes to a conclusion in my mind as I'm writing, and I can't fight against it. Don't worry, though. I'm working on it, I promise. Now, I'd like to say THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to those who Reviewed, Followed, and/or Favorited my story. As I said, in earlier chapters, this is my first attempt at publishing a fic, and I _really _appreciate any help I can get. The Follows and Favorites make me want to scream with joy! I feel so loved! Thanks all! Enjoy!**

**I own nothing but the laptop I'm typing this on.**

* * *

When Gaius walked in, Arthur was still protectively straddling Merlin. As soon as he saw Gaius, Arthur jumped to his feet.

"Sire? What happened?" Inquired Gaius.

"I… I'm not sure. We were just talking and…" Arthur's face was stained with tears and his eyes were full of concern for his manser- friend.

"Well, let me have a look at him." Gaius responded.

Arthur reluctantly moved to the other side of the room to stay out of Gaius's way. However, his eyes did not leave Merlin. Not for one second.

* * *

After a few minutes, Gaius came to a conclusion. "Sire, I can't find any simple cause to Merlin's collapse!" Arthur jumped to his feet and practically sprinted over to Merlin. _If Gaius can't find a simple cause, then what happened? Could I have stopped it? _Gaius continued, "Did you notice anything… strange, in his behavior?"

"Yes, actually. He was limping. I worried he'd been injured in the—uh, on the hunting trip." Arthur caught himself when he saw his father's men guarding the door. Gaius knew about the fight with Morgana. After all, who was supposed to see to their injuries?

"Ah, yes, I noticed that myself. I asked him about it, and he said it was nothing." Arthur nodded. Merlin did like to hide his pain from everyone. Arthur only wondered why. "Sire, we'll have to get him to my chambers. I can do better work on him there." Again, Arthur nodded.

Arthur watched Gaius trying to lift Merlin for a moment, and saw that he couldn't. Arthur wordlessly moved over to carry Merlin like one would a baby. He put his hand on the back of Merlin's head and rubbed the soft hair, bringing Merlin's face to his shoulder. Arthur smiled.

If Gaius saw this tenderness toward Merlin, he didn't say anything. He only gestured for Arthur to lead the way to Gaius's chambers.

* * *

Arthur carried Merlin carefully through the halls, moving gently, but fast, so Gaius could help him as soon as possible. He got some looks; after all, the Crown Prince doesn't usually parade through the halls carrying a servant boy.

When they reached Gaius's chambers, Arthur set Merlin down on the spare bed used for patients. Gaius hurried over to Merlin's side and began his more thorough examination.

"Gaius," Arthur began, "should I go? Or… could I stay here?"

Gaius sighed, and for a moment, Arthur was terrified that he would tell him to leave. He had to stay by Merlin. He just had to. Besides, what if he woke up?

Gaius replied, "You can stay here for a short time, but you must return eventually. Your father will be upset with you if you don't."

Arthur took a seat at what he assumed was Gaius and Merlin's kitchen table. As he sat, he stared at Merlin, relishing in every breath and every finger twitch. He had a lot of questions that were left unanswered. _Why did Merlin collapse? Did something happen to him? Was it something I could have prevented? Will he be okay when he wakes up? Or is it a long-term sickness? Why wouldn't he tell me something was wrong?_

The last was the strongest, pounding in Arthur's skull along with his heartbeat.

_Why did Merlin keep his pain a secret?_


	6. Instincts

**I'm really sorry guys! This chapter's short, even by my standards. I have to go to a rehearsal for a play I'm in, but I didn't want to make you all wait until tomorrow for a new chapter. Anyway, I'd like to thank (and virtually hug) everyone who has Followed, Favorited, or Reviewed. You have no idea how good it makes me feel! So, thank you all, and enjoy!**

**I own nothing used in this story. Especially not the bad parts ;)**

* * *

Arthur lifted his head off of the uncomfortable wooden table. _Why am I here, _he thought. Then it all came rushing back to him; Merlin. Merlin had collapsed while in Arthur's chambers and Arthur had carried him to Gaius's chambers. He must have fallen asleep after that.

He looked around the room. There, on the patient's bed, was Merlin. _He doesn't belong there, _Arthur thought, _He belongs in my chambers, making me laugh when I've had a bad day, or tripping over his own feet. He should be running around the castle doing chores for me, or helping Gaius. He belongs in so many places, but not in the patient's bed, unconscious!_

The door creaking slightly shook Arthur from his thoughts. He reached for his hip instinctively, although his sword was not there. Arthur stood up anyway, and grabbed a ladle. He also looked over at Merlin, vowing to protect him from any harm this intruder could bring. Arthur held the ladle like he would his sword, and stepped in front of Merlin.

The door opened to show Gaius, who looked amused at Arthur's defensive instincts. "Sire," he began, "you're awake!"

"Yes, of course I'm awake. Don't startle me like that." Arthur set the ladle back down on the table and relaxed his stance, but he did not move away from Merlin. Instead, he sat on the chair next to him.

Gaius simply nodded, but he still looked highly amused. It bothered Arthur, so to distract himself, he looked down at Merlin, and wondered when he would wake up. _When he does, will he tell me what happened? Or will he just lie again? _Arthur had a right to wonder. After all, Merlin did seem to have an uncanny ability to lie. _It's probably not good_, said a rational part of him. Another part of him just said, _it's Merlin. What could he possibly have to hide. _Arthur knew he should listen to the first part, but he only wanted to believe the second.

* * *

"Sire?" Gaius sounded worried, waving his hand in front of the prince's face. "Sire, are you alright?"

"Huh? Wha- oh, yes, what do you need?" Arthur responded, startled out of his trance.

"Nothing in particular, sire, it's just that you were staring at Merlin." For a moment Arthur was shocked, but then again, he _had _been a bit lost in thought. He nodded. "Arthur, perhaps you need a break."

"What? No! I don't need a break! What are you implying, Gaius?"

"I'm not _implying _anything sire. It's just that you've been here for hours! You should go to the council meeting. Your father will be expecting you." _Council meeting? Those are only held at noon_, thought Arthur. _Oh, crap. I must have slept through the night on Gaius's table!_

"You are absolutely right, Gaius. If I don't go, my father will take it out on you. Very well." With that, Arthur rose from the table and walked towards the door. He stood at the door and stole a glance over at Merlin. Arthur could have sworn he'd seen him say "Arthur". _No, of course he didn't. He doesn't care about you like you care about him, _said the same part of Arthur's mind that told him Merlin will lie again. Arthur ignored it and let himself enjoy the fantasy of Merlin sharing his feelings. He'd always been a big believer in the philosophy that if you wish for something hard enough, it just might come true.

Arthur left Gaius's chambers and walked toward the castle. However, if he had waited a few more seconds, he would have seen Merlin's eyes flutter open.


	7. Eavesdropping

**Hi! Sorry for the delay. You know when you have nothing going on for weeks, then suddenly, everything's happening at once? It happened. So I got a review telling me that chapters 5 and 6 are pretty much the same. I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen. It just did. What happens in this chapter should have happened in 6, but I got carried away with Arthur's feelings. This chapter has more plot in it. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing.**

* * *

Arthur returned from the council meeting around dinner time. He was going to go to his chambers, but decided he wanted to be near Merlin. In a completely I-don't-want-anything-to-happen-to-my-servant-because-then-I'll-have-to-get-a-new-one-and-that's-hard-work way. It had nothing to do with the fact that he slept better with Merlin around. No nightmares about his father's disapproval of various things.

When he reached the door, he heard Gaius's voice. Arthur stood outside the door for a few seconds and heard a voice that definitely did _not _make his heart flutter. It was Merlin. So much for sleeping there. It wouldn't be acceptable with Merlin awake. Arthur wanted to crash though the door immediately, but he stopped when he heard Gaius say, "And your magic? Is it gone?"

Arthur froze, hand on the door. He slowly pulled it back as he tried to wrap his head around the concept of _Merlin_ being a sorcerer. He was angry. Arthur had a right to be! After all, Merlin had kept it from him all this time! It's not like he would execu- oh, that's right. His father would.

It was too weird, so he focused on the conversation going on behind the door.

"Yes," Merlin began, and Arthur felt any and all anger he had toward the sorcerer crumble at hearing the sobs lingering in his voice. "It's gone. I can't even move a twig, let alone sense my surroundings. It feels like I've lost my sense of smell or something. It's just not right."

"Yes, that was the goal of Morgana's curse. To make you useless so she could kill Arthur." Oh, so Arthur had been right! It was Morgana! Wait- did he say _kill _Arthur? And why would she make Merlin useless? He's already useless to begin with!

"Gaius! What am I going to do? If I can't protect Arthur, he'll die! I can't let that happen!" Merlin exclaimed. Why would Arthur die if Merlin didn't protect him. Surely he wasn't _that _useful!

"You'll have to travel to the Eastern Mountains to retrieve the Dragonbreath potion."

"What's that?"

"It's a potion that can cure all curses," Gaius responded.

"When can I leave?" Merlin asked immediately. His voice had shed all traces of anguish, now laced with determination.

"Merlin, you can't leave now! You can barely walk!"

"I don't care! I'll find a way! Arthur's life is on the line here, Gaius! I have to go, and as soon as possible!" Arthur couldn't help the pride swirling in his chest. Merlin was willing to risk his life for Arthur's. Of course, he wouldn't let him, but it was a nice idea.

Arthur waited for a moment, and when there was silence, walked though the door. Both Gaius and Merlin looked up at him with terrified expressions. They must have thought he'd heard.

Of course, he had, but he didn't want to give them both heart attacks, so he said, "Merlin! You're awake!"_  
_

Merlin smiled softly, and said teasingly, "So I'll be back in your chambers cleaning your messes bright and early tomorrow?"

"Actually," Arthur began, "you should take the day off. After all, you've only just became conscious!" Arthur was trying to subtly persuade Merlin not to go on this crazy quest to the Eastern Mountains. It didn't seem to work.

Merlin exchanged a look with Gaius that to Arthur looked like _this is a great opportunity! _Well, that didn't go as planned. "Great! Thanks!"

Arthur simply nodded and pretended to go out the door to his chambers, but he lingered outside a little longer. Just long enough to hear Merlin say, "A day off is a perfect opportunity! I can set out in the morning! No one will miss me for a day, and by that time, I'll be long gone!" Arthur had to agree, it was almost a flawless plan. The only problem was that Arthur had tried to make him stay. There was only one option left: Arthur was going to follow him.


	8. Excuses

**Hi guys! I don't have much to say here, except to Witch by Midnight. Thank you for the idea, and I will be using it either in the next chapter or the one after that, depending on how detailed my muse will be. Also, This chapter is much longer than the others. I know that it's still tiny, but I have to write the way my mind wants me to. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

After deciding to follow Merlin, Arthur had gone back to his chambers to sleep. He dreamed about Merlin getting injured, out there by himself, and being killed in so many ways. It was horrible.

He awoke early and began to gather his supplies for the trip. _Hmmm... Sword- check. Armor- check, but just the chainmail. What else..._

* * *

After spending a lot of precious time gathering supplies and preparing himself, Arthur went to see his father. He walked to the main hall where his father was having breakfast and began, "Father?"

"Ah, Arthur. Why are you awake this early?" Came Uther's reply.

"I thought I'd go on a hunting trip. A long one," Arthur answered.

"How long?"

"Seven days?" Arthur suggested tentatively.

Uther nearly spat out the water he was drinking. "Seven! Why, Arthur, I can understand a trip of two, maybe three days, but seven? That's preposterous! Why on _Earth _would you need to be gone that long?"

"I need a break, father. I need some time to myself to... think." _Wow. That was real smooth. 'Time to myself to think'? Seriously? You sound like a teenage girl with hormonal imbalances, _commented the self-critical part of Arthur's mind.

"What sort of thinking takes seven days?"

Arthur wanted to say _the kind that requires a soul, so I guess you wouldn't know, _but managed to stop himself. That would only cause trouble, and then he'd _never_ get permission to go. Of course, that didn't really matter. He'd go anyway, because Merlin's life could be in danger, and he didn't want his dreams to become reality. Still, it was better to be on Uther's good side. "I just need some time away to think about where I'm going in life. I can't just be an exact copy of you; I need to figure out how to live on my own. I think this break will give me just what I need to make some major decisions." It wasn't all a lie. Arthur really did plan on doing some thinking on his journey. Although, most of it involved Merlin's magic. It didn't bother him as much as bewilder him.

To Arthur's surprise, Uther nodded. "I agree. Some time to yourself may be beneficial to the kingdom." _Of course, _thought Arthur, _it's always about the kingdom. _

Arthur bowed subtly before walking toward to doors. "And Arthur," Uther began, and Arthur turned to face his father, "do be careful." For a moment, he actually looked like he cared for Arthur's well-being as an individual. That was a rarity. "Camelot will need a king after I am dead." The caring look quickly disappeared, but Arthur didn't mind. He was used to it. After all, any king can order around his son, but only fathers care about their son. Uther was only his king, not truly his father in anything but blood.

With another subtle bow, Arthur exited the council chambers and went to search for Merlin.

* * *

When he entered Gaius's chambers, Arthur saw no sign of him. _Probably still asleep, _part of him thought. The other part suggested, _maybe he's already left! _Arthur scanned the room for Gaius, but Gaius saw him first. He was staring at Arthur's chainmail outfit and the pack he had thrown over his shoulder. _Ah, _thought Arthur, _I knew I was forgetting something. An excuse._

In response to Gaius's questioning eyebrow, Arthur managed to say, "Ah, Gaius! I was looking for Merlin. Where is he?"

"Sire, you gave Merlin the day off. I'd imagine he's-" There was a slight pause, as if Gaius was formulating a lie. "-at the tavern."

Of course, always the tavern. Obviously, Merlin had left on his ridiculous quest already. Arthur was silent for a moment, thinking of a subtle was to ask Gaius how long Merlin's been gone. "Well," he began, "I'm worried about his health, going to the tavern all the time. He's just a boy, after all." Gaius nodded his agreement and Arthur continued, "How long has he been there? I mean, when did he leave?" _Wow. That was real smooth, Pendragon. And subtle too! _The self-criticizing part of Arthur was having a field day.

"Well, I seem to remember him leaving not too long ago. But, if I may ask, why do you need to know?"

_Crap. _Arthur hadn't thought this through. "Umm," He began weakly, "I just wanted to make sure he hadn't been there all night. I wasn't worried about him, I just- well, I- I-"

Gaius cut him off with an amused smile on his face, "Of course not, sire. I have to attend to some patients in the lower town. Shall I see you later?"

Arthur considered telling Gaius the same lie he'd told his father, but instead answered, "Maybe not for a while." He thought for a moment before adding, "And tell Merlin that he has the rest of the week off. I don't want him collapsing in my chambers again." Arthur tried to sound irritated when saying the last sentence, but it was hard to keep the hesitance from his voice. He couldn't pretend that it didn't bother him, because it did. Seeing Merlin, funny Merlin, laughing Merlin, joking Merlin, teasing Merlin, on the floor unconscious bothered him a lot. More than he would care to admit to anyone.

Arthur decided to leave before he did anything stupid, and walked out the door in the direction of the East Wall.


	9. (Not) Stalking

**Hello, readers! I know it's late, and I apologize (I've done a lot of that recently, haven't I?). I don't really have much to say about this chapter except that reviews would be welcome, because honestly, I'm not sure how good this is. Probably not too great. I usually read, not write, so this is a change for me. Let me know if there are any mistakes I need to fix in any of these chapters. I use spell-check, but we all know it's usually crap. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Merlin, but if I did, merthur and Gwaine/Percival would both be canon.**

* * *

By the time Arthur caught up with Merlin, the sun was high in the sky. He'd run for a while before deciding to walk, but he never once stopped to rest. Arthur had made his decision; he had to find Merlin. He knew the servant would find himself in trouble, and he felt the need to protect him, though he didn't really know why.

Arthur was crouching behind a row of bushes, watching Merlin set up camp. It was not stalker-ish. He was only looking out for the boy's well-being. After all, even with his magic Merlin had always been ac clumsy idiot. Arthur suspected that it could only get worse without the extra help.

Merlin was sitting on a log. _Always with the logs! What's with that?!_ More specifically, he was sitting on a log and crying. Arthur was about 10 feet away, and could still hear the sobs rattling Merlin's skinny shoulders. It was a terrible sight, and Arthur desperately wanted to sit beside Merlin, holding the boy's head against his chest, and wrap his arms around Merlin's skinny back to keep him from shaking. However, there was no way that was going to happen. One, Arthur shouldn't even have those thoughts in the first place, especially for a _male servant. _Less importantly, Merlin couldn't know he was here. It would ruin the plan.

The plan was to follow Merlin until he needed help, because that was bound to happen sooner or later. Merlin couldn't know that Arthur was following him because then he'd freak out and have a heart attack. Arthur really didn't want that to happen, so he kept to the shadows, resisting the urges to comfort Merlin.

The servant was still crying his heart out about what had happened earlier. He'd tried to start a fire with his magic before remembering that he couldn't do that anymore. When he did remember, he promptly sunk down on the log and started weeping. Arthur had been watching him for a while, and it was becoming increasingly hard not to run over and kiss the tears from Merlin's beautiful cheekbones _-wait... what? _

Strange thoughts pushed aside, Arthur continued watching Merlin. The boy's shoulders had stopped shaking as often, and he looked like he was calming down a bit. Arthur's feet were starting to hurt, so he moved from a crouch to kneeling. Unfortunately, there was a pile of dry leaves under him, causing a crackling noise as he shifted. This alerted Merlin. The servant turned around quickly, all traces of his breakdown gone except for his red and puffy eyes. Arthur hated to admit it, but he looked powerful and intimidating.

However, it was hard for Arthur to appreciate that with Merlin's eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any sign of bandits. Arthur had subconsciously tucked himself into a ball, which was embarrassing, but effective. He was hidden from Merlin's line of sight.

When Arthur risked a glance, he saw that Merlin had already turned his attention back to the fire, and was staring at it as if it held the answers to all the questions of the universe, and the answers would be revealed if he stared hard enough. It worried Arthur. Merlin was always the happy, cheerful one. That is, except for the times when he seemed to hold the wisdom of a wise old man.

"I don't know who I am anymore," Merlin whispered to the air. "What am I without my magic?" Here he took a deep breath and sighed in such a despondent way that it made _Arthur _want to cry! "No, I know what I am. I'm nothing."

At that moment, that exact moment, Arthur wanted nothing more than to leap from the bushes and wrap Merlin in a hug that was so strong it made him squeal. Arthur wanted to shout at him, telling him that he was _Merlin. _He wanted to tell him that he most important person in Arthur's life, and not because of his magic. He wanted to tell Merlin that he was everything to Arthur.

Arthur almost leapt from behind the bushes, but stopped when Merlin suddenly jolted, his attention fixed on a point in the forest opposite from Arthur. He looked terrified, his eyes wide, looking as if he was going to run away. Instead, he simply stood his ground, trying not to look like a skinny, clumsy, manservant. In Arthur's opinion, it didn't quite work.

Arthur had no idea what Merlin was staring at until there was a loud battle cry and a very large group of bandits emerged from the trees.


	10. Decisions

**Hi guys! Sorry this is short, but you know how it works. So, please enjoy this chapter, and review with any ideas you may have! I need inspiration! Thanks!**

**I own nothing**

* * *

Arthur was shaking off his pack and running from the bushes before he even knew what happened. He unsheathed his sword and rushed to stand in front of Merlin. Arthur purposely avoided the boy's gaze, though he could see Merlin's bewildered expression out of the corner of his eye.

Merlin grabbed a sword that was laying on the ground by his pack and picked it up, standing back-to-back with Arthur. Arthur knew that is was not the time, but Merlin's heat against his back felt really, _really, _good.

The two began swinging their weapons at the bandits, and the fight around Arthur was a blur. He was acting on instinct. From the time he could walk, Arthur'd been training with a sword. Sword-fighting was like breathing to Arthur; he could take control if he focused, but otherwise it just happened.

The only thing not blurry in Arthur's eyes was Merlin. The servant was fighting fairly well, especially for a boy who'd never had any formal practice. Arthur followed Merlin with his eyes, never looking away. He was ready to step in front of Merlin at any time if it was necessary.

However, that didn't happen. Arthur hadn't even realized that all the men were dead, and was still swinging his sword around, in what was probably a very amusing fashion. He only stopped when he felt the comforting warmth of a hand on his shoulder. Arthur turned to see Merlin looking at him with a mixture of 75% confusion, 15% anger, and 10% thanks. Still, it was better than what Arthur expected. Apparently Merlin was hit, though, because he had a gash on his shirt covered by a trail of blood. Arthur, however, was forced to ignore it when Merlin spoke.

"Wha-" Merlin began, but Arthur cut him off.

"I heard you talking with Gaius and followed you so you didn't get yourself killed, like you would have a few minutes ago if it weren't for me."

"Oi, I can take care of myself!" Merlin shouted.

Calmly, Arthur said, "I know you _could_. But... things are different now."

"Different?" Merlin asked, his voice squeaking in worry, trying to sound normal.

Arthur sighed and paused for a moment before saying, "I know about your..." He took a deep breath. "I know about your magic."

"You... what? Magic? I'm not a sorcerer!" Came Merlin's frantic reply.

"Merlin, don't try to lie to me. You're terrible at it."

"So... you haven't killed me yet."

"Kill you? Why on _Earth _would I do that?

"Well, because I'm a sorcerer. And you kill sorcerers."

"No, Merlin. My father kills sorcerers. I was raised to believe that it was the right thing to do, that sorcery was evil and everyone who practiced magic was too. But there's no way _you _could be evil. You're too... Merlin."

"Gee, thanks." Merlin said sarcastically.

"Shut up Merlin, I'm trying to be serious." Merlin scoffed before becoming serious again. "You taught me an important lesson, and while I dare not cross my father, you have my word that as soon as I am King, magic will be welcomed, no, embraced, in Camelot."

"You... you mean that?"

"Yes, of course!" Arthur responded. By this point, he had completely forgotten about Merlin's injury.

"I..." Merlin seemed at a loss for words.

"You know, I always listen to your advice."

"But... what? I'm a sorcerer! I'm a servant and a sorcerer! Why on Earth would you listen to me?"

"Because believe it or not I do care about your opinion. You're my friend, Merlin. Sorcerer, servant, and all."

"I'm..." Merlin fainted in a pool of blood streaming from his chest.


	11. You Learn Something New Every Day

**I am SO SORRY! I forgot to update yesterday! To make up for that (hopefully) this chapter's early. Sorry for torturing poor Merlin. I know it's strange, but I love when he's injured and Arthur and the knights become mother hens. It's adorable. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing.**

* * *

Arthur was by Merlin side before he even had time to process what had happened. He gently ran his fingers along the deep wound in the sorcerer's side. _This is really deep, _he thought. _What if it doesn't heal? _Arthur picked up Merlin's unconscious body and set him down in a semi-comfortable place with his head resting on the log, and his feet only a few paces away from the fire to keep him warm.

Another, more confident-sounding voice said _Don't be silly. You've seen worse, and they all survived. _Arthur decided to listen to the second voice, but the cut _was_ really deep. He had a right to be worried.

There was yet another voice in his head, sounding suspiciously like that of his father. It said, _You are a prince, and therefore you should not be worrying about a mere servant! You can just get a new one! Besides, he's a sorcerer! You should just leave him to die, and the world will be a better place._

Arthur didn't listen to that voice at all.

* * *

Arthur turned to stare in joy at Merlin when he mumbled, "Arthur?" and he tried to stand up. The boy immediately winced in pain. It had been a little past mid-day when Merlin collapsed, and dusk was approaching. They had lost half a day.

Arthur hugged Merlin, being careful of his wound, and just held on. "Um, Arthur?" Merlin said, his voice stronger than it had been a minute ago, but still not strong.

"Yes?" Arthur asked into Merlin's shoulder. It felt so perfect, holding Merlin, that he found he couldn't let go. The boy was so warm and comforting.

"Could you... Maybe... Let go of me? Please?"

Arthur shook his head lightly and replied, "No."

"Um. Okay, then." Merlin replied, and Arthur took that as permission to pull Merlin closer to him. He heard the boy's grunt of surprise and smirked. Arthur put his hand behind Merlin's head and pulled it into his shoulder, as if holding on for dear life. "Arthur, please. It - it hurts."

At those words, Arthur completely released Merlin. _What was I doing? I was holding Merlin for my own comfort, and causing him pain! _Arthur immediately apologized. "I'm sorry, Merlin, I'm so, so sorry! I didn't know it was hurting you! You should have said something, and I would have let go earlier!"

"No, it's fine. It didn't hurt at first. In fact, in the beginning it felt kind of..." Merlin trailed off, but Arthur was hoping he would say _it felt kind of good. _Arthur would agree with him there.

"I'm glad you're okay. Now, about that gash." Arthur tore a strip of cloth from his shirt, ignoring Merlin's protests, and tied it around the wound. Arthur also tore another strip of cloth to use later, because as much pain as it caused him to say it, the wound was bleeding a lot. He then asked Merlin what herbs to gather that could help with a wound like this. Arthur ignored Merlin's pleas that he could get them himself and went out to find some plants that matched the description the boy had given him. It was harder that he'd thought it would be. All the plants in this dang forest looked the same, and it certainly didn't help that it was getting dark out. _How am I supposed to find anything? _

Despite having almost lost hope, Arthur continued on because he knew that it would make Merlin better. On the subject of Merlin, Arthur did a little thinking. he honestly didn't understand what he was feeling for the boy. It wasn't the brotherly love he felt with his knights, nor was it what he felt with Gwen. Arthur was very confused, so he focused on the one thing that he was sure about. He cared about Merlin, as a friend, if not more, and he needed to help him get better. Just like that, all the other thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he hunted for medicinal herbs.

* * *

Arthur returned after what had felt like hours later, but can't have been that long because the sun had only just set completely, and crouched next to Merlin. "What's next? What do I do with these?"

Merlin told Arthur to ground them all. Arthur did so with a rock he found laying about. Then, Merlin told him to combine them with water to make a paste. Arthur took some water out of his waterskin and poured it on top of the crushed leaves in Merlin's hands. When Merlin told him that he had poured enough water, Arthur began stirring the mixture, which was still in Merlin's hands.

Once the consistency was right, Merlin poured the paste into Arthur hands. "Now," he said, "apply the paste to the wound. Make sure you get it in the general area too, so that it doesn't get infected."

Arthur lifted up Merlin's shirt, then the makeshift bandage. He dipped his fingers in the paste and spread it across the wound. Merlin occasionally winced in pain, but sighed with relief when Arthur was done. Arthur took the new bandage, the second one he had ripped off his shirt, and tied it carefully around the wound. He then pulled Merlin's shirt back down and the two made eye contact.

"Thank you, Arthur. I'd probably be dead if it weren't for you."

"Don't mention it. After all, why do you think I followed you?" Merlin didn't answer, instead falling asleep. Arthur smiled at him and sighed, he was pretty tired himself. Arthur unpacked two bedrolls, and placed one over Merlin as a blanket. He didn't want to risk waking him up by moving him. Arthur placed the other bedroll next to Merlin, and got in it himself. He leaned over and kissed Merlin's forehead, though he had no idea why. He told himself it was because he was glad that Merlin would be okay, but he knew it wasn't true. Arthur needed some time to think, but that was not the time. Arthur curled up to fall asleep, knowing that there would be a lot to talk about the next day.


	12. A Lot to Talk About

**Hi guys! Today at school we got out early, which was nice. That's why I was able to write this. Just so you all know, I might not be able to update for the next couple days because of tech rehearsals for my school play. I'll try, though! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, favorited, or followed this story! Enjoy!**

**I own nothing but my teddy bear (you'll get the reference after reading the third paragraph)**

* * *

When Arthur woke up, the sun was high in the sky. There were many things he could be thinking about, yet the first thought he had was _Merlin._

Arthur knew he was okay, though, because the servant now had his arm draped over Arthur's chest. It was... slightly endearing. Merlin's face was clear of all the worry and responsibility that weighed him down during his conscious hours. The boy appeared content, if not happy, and that made Arthur laugh a bit. It wasn't much; just a breathy chuckle. Apparently that was enough to cause the sleeping angel - _uhhh, no _- the sleeping boy to stir.

Merlin rolled in his sleep, murmuring. To Arthur, it sounded like _Mummy, my teddy bear. _That time he didn't even try being quiet. Arthur burst out laughing, and it only got louder when Merlin jolted awake, eyes wide in fear. When those beautiful crystal abysses _- ugh, eyes - _saw Arthur, they narrowed dramatically. Merlin scowled at Arthur the entire time he was trying to calm down, which was _not _making it any easier.

That is, until Merlin reached out to slap Arthur, and let out a yelp of pain. All signs of laughter disappeared from Arthur's face the second he heard it. "Merlin," he began, "are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just... hurt a bit, is all." Arthur internally rolled his eyes. _Will Merlin _ever _tell anyone how he's feeling? Or when he's hurt?_

"Okay, if you say so. Could I have a look at it?" Merlin nodded and lifted his shirt up, revealing the bloodied bandage. Arthur peeled back the cloth, which dried blood had plastered to the skin, and looked at Merlin's wound.

It wasn't any better, but it wasn't any worse, either. "Merlin," Arthur began, "how long do you think this is going to take to heal?"

"Oh, probably a few weeks," Merlin answered.

"Merlin, we don't have that kind of time. We need to get your magic back," protested Arthur.

"What, did you think I was going to wait? And... did you say 'we'?" Merlin asked, bewildered.

"Yes, you clotpole, I said we."

"Hey, that's my word!"

"And it suits you perfectly. Anyway, yes, we, because I'm going with you." Merlin tried to argue, but Arthur cut him off, "You'd be dead by now if it weren't for me. Until you get your magic back, you're completely defenseless."

"Yeah, speaking of my magic... You're completely okay with this?" Merlin asked, putting his bandage back on and pulling his shirt down over it.

"Not at first. At first I was mad, and I'm still a little angry, but not nearly as much as I was then. I couldn't stay mad though; you started crying, and I realized that you losing your magic is like me losing... my mother's ring." He waved the hand that the ring was on in front of him. "It's a part of you that you can't live without."

"Yes! That's exactly it! I hope you didn't think I was evil." Merlin exclaimed.

"Well, maybe for a bit. I guess I just don't understand magic." Arthur admitted.

"Let me try something. You have your sword, right?" Arthur nodded, and Merlin continued, "Your sword is a weapon that can be used to injure or to kill. It can be used by the bad simply for power and control to kill all who stand in their way." Arthur nodded, although he wasn't really seeing where this was going. "But swords can also be used to block, to protect. Swords can be used by the good to defend their homes and all that they own." Arthur nodded again, beginning to understand. "Magic is the same way. Granted, a lot more people use it for evil, but it's not the magic that corrupts them, as your father believes. It's the power; the power that comes with being able to control the elements and have the world at your mercy."

"So, like I use my sword to defend Camelot, you use your magic to defend yourself?" Arthur asked.

"Not really myself. I defend you, and defending you is technically defending Camelot." Merlin answered.

"You..." Arthur pointed at Merlin for emphasis, "defend me..." He pointed at himself, "from danger. _You?_"

"Umm, yeah. Magical threats. I could give you some examples?" Arthur nodded. "Okay, let me think, uh... Ah! The griffin that Lancelot supposedly killed? Well, technically he _did_ kill it, but I enchanted the lance so that it could do damage. I also poisoned Morgana that time when everyone fell asleep. I had to, because the curse was linked to her directly. Believe me, I didn't want to. Oh, and I almost forgot the most important one. During my first couple days in Camelot, when we first met, Lady Helen wasn't Lady Helen. She was the mother of the sorcerer that was executed on my first day. She killed Lady Helen, using her appearance to make everyone fall asleep with a song so that she could kill you. I killed her."

"Wait, how come you didn't fall asleep? Was it your magic?" Arthur asked.

"No, I covered my ears when I saw everyone falling asleep. I made the chandelier fall on her." Merlin explained.

"And that's when she threw her dagger at me." Arthur assumed.

"Yeah," Merlin confirmed, "that's it. You just stood there like an idiot. I had to save you."

"Why did you?" Arthur asked.

"Hmmm, how do I explain this one?" Immediately, Arthur was worried. "There's a dragon under Camelot. His name is Kilgharrah. He's the last of his kind."

"I thought my father killed all the dragons!" Arthur stated, bewildered.

"Well, all but one. He kept him alive as a reminder, I guess. Anyway, Kilgharrah likes to make cryptic prophesies, the main one being that you're the Once and Future King, and I'm supposed to keep you alive so that you can fulfill your destiny."

"So, your destiny is to make sure I complete mine?" Arthur asked, confused.

"Yeah, basically. Kilgharrah likes to call us 'two sides of the same coin' and say that 'one side cannot truly live without the other', or 'that your and Arthur's destinies lie together is but the truth'. It's really annoying sometimes."

Arthur couldn't respond. His mind was spinning with all this new information. He wondered what else he didn't know.

Whatever it was, it would have to wait, because as Merlin pointed out, "It's getting lighter out. We need to get going. I forgot to ask yesterday, but did you bring any horses?"

Darn it. Arthur knew he was forgetting something. "No, I didn't. Guess we'll have to walk."

With that said, the prince and the warlock gathered their things into packs and began their journey to the Eastern Mountains to find the Dragonsbreath potion.


	13. Realizations

**Hi guys! I know it's been a while, but here's the next chapter. I did mention the practices, and those are over, but now there are performances, and then I have my final exams, so it may be a while, but I really don't know. By the way, the end of this chapter sounds like the end of the story, but it's obviously not. So many loose ends to tie up! I'm probably going to have 15-20 chapters in this total, but that might change. Enjoy!**

* * *

By mid-day, Arthur knew that Merlin needed a break. Merlin himself may not admit it, but the two of them _had_ been walking since morning. The sun was just now beginning its descent to the horizon.

A heavy sigh from Merlin confirmed his suspicions. _I'm kind of tired too, _Arthur thought. _No you're not, you're a warrior, _said another part of him. Arthur knew that the second voice was right, but he was willing to feign tiredness for the benefit of his servant.

"Merlin," he said. Merlin stopped walking and turned to face Arthur.

"Hmmm?" The boy urged him on.

"I'm feeling tired. May we rest?" Arthur saw Merlin narrow his eyes in suspicion, and saw the distinct change from suspicious to thankful the moment he realized what Arthur was doing.

"Of course. Thank you." Arthur nodded.

The two sat down on a log (seriously, another one) and both sighed heavily at the same time. At this, the two boys met each other's eyes, and burst out laughing. Arthur threw his head back and watched as Merlin did the same. The laughter went on for so long that the two had forgotten why they had started in the first place!

After a long time, the boys stopped laughing and simply looked at each other. Arthur saw Merlin's eyes shift down to his lips, as his eyes did the same. When their eyes met again, Merlin's seemed to be asking for permission. Arthur nodded subtly and Merlin swallowed heavily. _He looks beautiful when he's worried. I love it when he swallows. _Arthur's thoughts betrayed him, and Merlin's hand came to rest on Arthur's shoulder. He had done this many times before, but never had it been so _warm._ Merlin's hand curled around Arthur's shoulder soothingly, and Arthur let out a breath of comfort.

He lifted his own hand and placed it gently on top of Merlin's. The servant shuddered at the touch as Arthur gently squeezed his hand. Their eyes were still locked, and Arthur couldn't help but notice the raw _power _contained in those sweet crystals. However, at the time, there was a different emotion controlling most of the sapphire, and it was not one Arthur could name. It was the way Gwen looked at him, but different.

The second he realized the emotion, he dropped his hand and shook away from Merlin's hand. He instantly missed the contact, but he couldn't, he just couldn't. Gwen was his love. She always would be.

Although, Arthur wasn't sure. He felt comfortable around her, and he did love her, just like he loves his father, and how he used to love Morgana. _Maybe that's the problem. I love her like a sister, not a lover. _Arthur knew it was the truth the moment it came to mind.

Merlin had watched Arthur with the most terrible combination of disappointment and shame in his eyes. It was a horrible sight, and Arthur never wanted to see it again. When he reached out a hand to comfort the boy, Merlin shied away and refused to meet Arthur's eyes.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "You obviously don't want what I do. You have Gwen, anyway. You can't ever..." _love me. _Arthur's mind filled in the rest of the words. Instantly, he wanted nothing more than to run over and kiss Merlin. He'd given up trying to deny his feelings. They're there, so why not act on them?

"Merlin." Arthur began to explain. "I do love Gwen. But, as I only just realized, I love her as a sister, not as a potential wife. You, however..." he trailed off and took a deep breath before continuing, "I feel empty when you're not around, and my heart aches for you. When you're sick or injured, like now, all I want to do is make you better. When I'm with you, I don't have to be a prince. I can just be... Arthur."

Merlin looked so hopeful and in love that it hurt Arthur to look at. "I'm glad. But, what is that to you? Friendship?"

"No, Merlin. I..." Arthur took a deep breath and imagined his father. He remembered him saying that he couldn't be with Gwen because she was a servant. He couldn't imagine what his reaction would be if he was with a _male _servant. Then again, he really couldn't care less right now. "I feel more to you than I feel to Gwen. I don't know what this emotion is, exactly. It's like nothing I've ever felt before.

Merlin's eyes grew wide and Arthur worried for a moment that he'd gotten everything wrong. Then, the boy shrugged as if to say, _good enough for me, _and his smile grew to cover his entire face, and Arthur let out a sigh of relief. "Good, for a second there I was worried-"

The rest of his thought was cut off by Merlin's lips on his own. They were luscious and soft and fit perfectly into his own. Merlin's hands were on Arthur's face, caressing it, and Arthur moved his hands to Merlin's. He felt every inch of skin on the boy's pale face, from his sharp cheekbones to his perfect chin. All the while, Merlin's lips were attacking Arthur's own.

Merlin pulled back suddenly, gasping for breath. Now that he had the chance to breathe, Arthur realized how out of breath he was too. Arthur was unable to break Merlin's eye contact, only able to see that the sun was setting through the corners of his vision. He took Merlin's hand and squeezed it. Merlin squeezed back.

Arthur hadn't realized he was hungry, either, until his stomach growled, and Merlin's followed suit. Without a word, Arthur went to unpack some food as Merlin redressed his wound.

* * *

When that was done, and they both had eaten, Merlin laid down to sleep. Arthur though for a moment before deciding to curl up next to him. Merlin smiled and moved to huddle himself in Arthur's arms. He obliged, and wrapped his arms tightly around Merlin's skinny body. It fit perfectly, and Arthur knew that this was the way things should be. Always and forever.


	14. Cold Without You

**Hi guys! Sorry, I know it's been a while, but I did warn you. This is kind of a filler chapter, but then again, they mostly are. The poor things, Arthur and Merlin really do have a lot of trouble admitting their feelings. I can't help but hope that if this had happened, the finale wouldn't have (I don't want to say what happened just in case someone who's reading this is lucky enough not to know what happened).**

**I own nothing, because if I did, there would _definitely _be some merthur involved.**

* * *

When Arthur woke up, he was incredibly cold. Looking around for the cause of this, he realized that Merlin was not currently sleeping next to him. For a moment, he wondered why this would happen in the first place. It was then that he remembered the events of the previous night. He had admitted his feelings, and, remarkably, Merlin had shared them! Arthur was thoroughly in shock, but it was the good kind.

Merlin's voice distracted Arthur from his thoughts. "Arthur! You're awake! When I woke, you were still sleeping, as usual, you prat." In the place of the teasing tone Merlin would usually use while insulting Arthur was one of fondness. "I made breakfast, so get up and eat."

Arthur couldn't resist. "Was that an order?"

"Yes," Merlin smiled.

Arthur only sighed, not feeling it in him to continue the insults. It was then that he noticed Merlin's nervous expression. "Merlin," he began tentatively, "are you alright?"

"What? Uh, yes of course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be?"_ Wow, Merlin's a bad liar. How did he manage to keep his magic a secret all this time? _

"I don't know, I just thought that after last night, you might..." Arthur trailed off, hoping Merlin would pick up his meaning. He didn't, of course, so Arthur reluctantly continued, "I just thought you might be having second thoughts."

Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, leaving Arthur _very _confused. _Is he glad I mentioned it so he didn't have to? Does he not want... this? _Luckily, Merlin's clarification snapped Arthur from his thoughts. "No, of course not! I've... liked you for a long time, what makes you think I would have second thoughts _now, _of all times. I thought _you _might!"

Arthur almost scoffed. How could he have second thoughts about anything that just felt so _right_? Arthur sat up slowly and took a loaf of bread from Merlin when it was handed to him. Arthur patted the spot on the log, silently asking Merlin to sit by him. It was only after Merlin had settled himself in that Arthur said, "I could never have second thoughts. I... like you too much." He ended with what he hoped slightly resembled his signature smile. Judging by Merlin's abrupt laughter, he didn't think it worked.

"You have bits of bread in your teeth!" Merlin commented, obviously enjoying this.

Arthur took this opportunity to try and be his usual flirty self. Besides, if it could get him a kiss from Merlin, it was worth it. "If it's bothering you so much, why don't you get it off?"

For a moment, Merlin looked confused, before he realized Arthur's intention. Merlin leaned in, he lips meeting Arthur's midway. A spark - no, an explosion - started in Arthur's lips and traveled through his entire body, warming his previously cold fingers and toes. Merlin's lips were softer, if possible, than the last time. Arthur reached a hand up to caress Merlin's sharp cheekbones, then Merlin pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, worried for the boy.

"It's just..." Merlin trailed off, looking down at his hands in his lap.

Arthur reached out to lift up Merlin's chin. "Hey," he began, "I want to know. Please? You can tell me."

Merlin nodded, understanding, and continued. "It's just, what about Gwen? I know you told me how you truly feel about her yesterday, but that doesn't change how she feels! She loves you, Arthur." After a moments pause, Merlin added, "Almost as much as me."

In that moment, Arthur understood all of the looks Merlin had been giving he and Gwen on their picnic. It _had _been jealousy, and Arthur felt terrible for not realizing it before, similarly to Merlin's magic. Arthur had always thought himself to be observant, but apparently that was not the case. "I will deal with all of that when we return. We will make it work."

"Wait, we?" Merlin asked, seemingly surprised. "But, what about your father? He doesn't even want you to be with a servant girl, let alone a servant _boy_!"

Arthur only sighed. Those same thoughts had run through his head, but he had made his decision, whether or not he knew it up until this point. "I don't care what my father thinks. In fact, I disagree with most of his ideals, so why not this one? I should be able to love whomever I choose, and if he can't see that, it's because he was never truly in love. I pity him for that."

Merlin was staring at Arthur, eyes wide in admiration. Arthur realized that he would do anything for Merlin, no matter the cost. _I am in love, _he realized. _I love Merlin_. It was in that moment that he decided to tell Merlin this. "Merlin," he began hesitantly, "I..." He couldn't do it. He couldn't admit that those beautiful blue eyes had haunted his dreams the night before. He couldn't admit that he was willing to give up his crown if it would make Merlin happy.

"What is it, Arthur?" Merlin was still staring at him, and _god, _Arthur could swear those eyes were reading into his very soul.

Arthur saw the worry in those crystal blue spheres, worry that Arthur did not truly love him, that this was all a trick to play with his emotions. As much as he didn't want to admit his love, he knew that he needed to swallow his pride and admit it, to prove to Merlin that his feelings towards him were as strong as iron, and as unchanging as the sea. Compared to what he was willing to do to ensure Merlin's happiness, this was _nothing._

However, just as he was about to spill his heart out for all to see, Merlin spoke up. "We need to get going, if I'm going to get my magic back anytime soon. Besides, I'm sure whatever lie you told your father will not last long. It's now or never."

Arthur, stunned, accepted the hand Merlin stretched out to help him up and began re-packing their supplies. His determination to tell Merlin how he felt was still there, but it was behind a closed door in his mind, pounding on it and willing it to break. But Arthur would not let it. Yes, he wanted to tell Merlin as soon as possible, but he recognized that now was just not the time. Their priority was getting the boy's magic back, and they needed to move. Merlin was right, Arthur's lie about the hunting trip could only last so long, before his father sent out a search party. "Yeah. Yeah, we should probably go."

With that, the pair walked off again, but this time, something was different. Arthur was staring into space, still trying to clear his head, and he was having trouble making sense of reality. Everything felt like it wasn't there, and his entire body was numb. That was, all except his left hand, which was currently clasped with Merlin's, slowly spreading warmth and feeling to the rest of his body.


	15. Finally

**Hi! I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a while, and I really don't have a good excuse. I'll try to get back to updating once a day, but I have my finals next week, so there's a lot of studying going on. *sarcastic yay* Anyway, enjoy!**

**I own nothing**

* * *

After leaving the campsite, Arthur and Merlin continued walking East toward the East Mountains. The air was cool and crisp. It cleared Arthur's mind, and he realized that the most important thing right now was getting Merlin's magic back. After that was fixed, he could worry about heartfelt confessions.

Merlin was wincing with every step, making Arthur seriously regret forgetting the horses. The warlock's gash, though healing well, was obviously causing him a lot of pain. All Arthur wanted to do was kiss the pain away, but he knew that he couldn't. Not until he'd told Merlin that he loved him. And that couldn't happen until Merlin had his magic back.

On the subject of magic, Arthur knew very little. His father had told him that it was evil and corrupted people, but that obviously wasn't true. The prince wanted to ask Merlin, but he thought it would be a delicate subject, seeing as his magic was not currently present.

The warlock was walking beside Arthur, only a few steps backward. Arthur sighed. _He's trying to be a proper servant again. Does he know he doesn't have to when it's just me? _Arthur stopped walking for a second, and Merlin didn't notice, too lost in his thoughts. When Arthur continued, Merlin was directly by his side. _As he should be, _thought Arthur. Merlin's eyes were dull, staring out at nothing in particular. He seemed empty compared to his usual bubbly self. Arthur figured it probably had to do with his magic being gone.

To comfort him, Arthur tentatively reached down and grabbed Merlin's hand. The warlock stiffened immediately, his eyes meeting Arthur's own. The look in those once-vibrant crystals almost killed Arthur. It was like a sword through his heart, but worse. They were empty of all emotion, and watery with the promise of tears. Arthur spun to face the boy, and grabbed his other hand. He leaned in and kissed Merlin's forehead protectively. Merlin looked up at Arthur, finally with an emotion in his eyes. It was shock. Arthur couldn't stand to see Merlin shocked at this simple show of affection, but he didn't want to push it, and Merlin obviously wasn't feeling well.

He turned and kept walking, Merlin following close behind.

* * *

They reached a stream and Arthur stopped. Merlin kept walking for a moment, not noticing that Arthur had stopped. Arthur ran forward to catch him, worried that he would keep waling. He put a hand on Merlin's shoulder and the boy flinched, turning around to face Arthur. Arthur lead him to the water and motioned for him to sit down. When he did, Arthur said, "What's wrong, Merlin? You haven't talked in a while, and... I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine," came Merlin's meager reply, and Arthur didn't believe it for a second. However, just as before, he didn't want to push it.

Arthur sat down in front of him. "Take off your tunic and bandage off, I'm going to clean it."

Merlin obeyed without a sound and Arthur wanted to re-kill whoever did this to his warlock. The pale, milky white skin was blemished by a long red line, and the skin around it was red as well. Even if he wasn't Gaius's apprentice like Merlin, Arthur still knew what an infected wound looked like.

Not wanting to worry Merlin, he picked up the discarded bandage and soaked it in the stream. Arthur then cleaned the wound as Merlin sat there, still as a rock. Arthur squeezed the bandage out so it was dry, and re-tied it around Merlin's middle. The warlock had no reaction to this.

Finally, Arthur couldn't stand the silence anymore, and blurted out, "Merlin, I love you, okay? I do! I think I have for a long time, but I couldn't tell, because I didn't know what love was! I thought I loved Gwen, but I didn't! I love you, and only you, now and forever! But... do you love me?"

Merlin finally looked up to meet Arthur's eyes. The look he saw there was blissfully not empty, but full of what Arthur could only assume was love. "Arthur..." he began slowly, "Of course I love you. I've always known that I love you. From the moment I met you. My mum used to say that when I found the right person to spend my life with, I'd just know. And I did! I felt it, even if I hated you at first. When Kilgharrah told me of my destiny to protect you, I hated the very idea of it. But then, as time went on and I was your manservant, I did come to like you, and eventually love you. But you had Gwen."

"Yes, I did have Gwen. But I didn't really love her, not like I love you," Arthur agreed.

"But she loves you! Oh, Arthur, what are we going to when we get to Camelot?" Merlin asked, and Arthur had no idea. He hadn't thought that maybe Gwen felt true love toward him. Then there was the matter of his father, and his hatred towards a relationship with Gwen, a servant girl. What would he do to Merlin, a servant boy?

Then Arthur realized something. "We'll face it together. If we have to hide, so be it."

"Yeah," Merlin agreed, "we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"The most important thing is getting your magic back." Arthur pointed out, and Merlin nodded his head in agreement.

Arthur stood and offered the warlock a hand, which he took and hoisted himself up. He didn't release his hand, and the two continued on their journey to get Merlin's magic back, step one on the list to a happy ending.


	16. The Three Requirements

**Hi! I know I said I'd get back to updating every day, but school got in the way. Stupid real life, ruining all the fun! Haha. Anyway, enjoy this chapter! It's a little more humorous than the others have been, and please read the note at the bottom as well, because it contains a question I need to ask you, but it involves spoilers from this chapter. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing but the folds of my back fat (Spongebob Squarepants reference)**

* * *

"So, what exactly will we do when we get to the mountains? I mean, how do we get the potion?" Arthur asked Merlin. The boys had been walking all day and were making great progress toward their destination. They were stopping at a gap in the trees to sleep for the night.

"I don't really know," Merlin replied weakly. "Gaius just said to get the potion, he never really specified."

"Well, I hope it's nothing too dangerous. I have my sword, but you don't have your magic." Arthur paused for a moment, giving Merlin's hand - which was still entwined with his own - a reassuring squeeze. "Also, Merlin, please. I know I don't know about all of your magical adventures in saving me, but _please _just grant me one wish. _Don't be a self-sacrificing idiot ever again! _Have you got that?"

Arthur unpacked his and Merlin's bedrolls and placed his on the ground.

Merlin nodded slowly, laying his bedroll next to Arthur's, then said, "Fine, I won't willingly sacrifice myself, but if it comes down to it, you know you can't stop me."

Arthur knew he could launch into an argument right then and there, but he didn't have the energy. "I know," he whispered. "But I can try."

* * *

From then on, it was silent. There was no conversation between warlock and prince, and the silence was suffocating Arthur. He wanted to speak, but every time he looked over at Merlin to his left, deep in thought, absentmindedly walking forward, and he couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to disturb the boy's peace. It seemed like it had been days since he'd heard that wonderful voice, but he knew it had only been a few hours at most.

Arthur kept his gaze straight ahead, not letting it wander to the boy walking next to him. Or his eyes. Or the was his hair was ruffled from the wind. Or his cheekbones, _oh, _those cheekbones could carve a diamond. _No, _Arthur thought, _stop it. So he kissed you twice. Big deal. I bet he's kissed a lot of people. He doesn't have feelings for you. He couldn't! He's Merlin! He was just stressed out, and needed to relieve some tension. By kissing you. It makes sense, if you think about it!_

Little did he know that just beside him, Merlin was having similar thoughts about Arthur.

* * *

Finally, after hours of walking in silence, Merlin spoke. "There they are. The Eastern Mountains. But where do we go to find the potion?" Arthur's head snapped up as he forced himself to look back at Merlin. He'd taken to staring at his feet and they way they moved when he walked. It was quite fascinating, really. _No it's not, you just needed an excuse, _said one voice that sounded suspiciously like Gwaine. _Shut up, Gwaine, _spoke another voice, this one sounding like Arthur himself. _Maybe I should ask Gaius about these voices in my head. It's probably not good._ He paused a second. _Nah._

However, before he could answer Merlin's question, the boy had bolted off in the direction of the mountains. Arthur sighed and followed him.

* * *

After Arthur had caught up with Merlin, they'd agreed to split up and search the caves for any kind of potion or person who may be in possession of said potion. Arthur was against this as Merlin had no weapon, so he'd forced him to take his sword. Now Arthur was wandering through a dark cave, completely unarmed. _Well, _he thought, _at lease Merlin's safe._

Arthur was snapped out of his thoughts by a wheezing noise. He followed it to a dark corner in the cave where an old woman was sitting. When she spotted him, her eyes turned gold and Arthur found himself unable to move his feet. He reached for his sword before he remembered he'd given it to Merlin. _Oh no._

"Who are you? What are you doing in my cave?" The old sorceress rasped.

"I am Prince Arthur Pendragon, and I am here in search of the Dragonsbreath potion," he responded authoritatively.

"And what would a _Pendragon _possibly need with a potion to cure all curses?" She spat.

Arthur chose to ignore her question and instead replied, "So you know what it is, then. Do you know where it is?"

"Why little prince, it is right here!" She gestured behind her and sure enough, there was a golden, almost fire-like potion in a vial sitting on the cold stone floor. "But you still haven't answered my question."

Arthur sighed. He had hoped to get out of this. "It's for my... friend. He was cursed, and I need to cure him."

"Oh you do now? Then I'm sure you won't mind my... requirements." She smirked the most evil smirk. It even trumped Morgana's, and that was saying something!

"Requirements? Woman, speak, so I may fulfill these... requirements... as soon as possible."

"As you wish. One, make magic legal in Camelot. Two, never come here again. And three, the last one, please make out with your servant. Honestly, it's pathetic that you haven't yet!"

Arthur was dumbstruck. The first, he could agree to. He was already planning it, anyway. The second, he was happy to oblige. It reeked of cabbage in here. The third, however... He had kissed Merlin, and Arthur was okay with making out with him, but would Merlin be?

"No, little prince, he won't mind. Trust me." She giggled again, and Arthur was very confused. Did she read his thoughts? "Please accept my terms, and discuss them with your... friend. Merlin, I presume? Anyway, be back within a day, and when you do return, I sincerely hope you've agreed." Her eyes glowed gold once again and Arthur could feel his feet unlock. As soon as he could move, he bolted out of the cave and ran to find Merlin.

* * *

**Here you are! Anyway, my question was, who do you think the witch is supposed to represent? I know it's stupid, but review your answers! (You don't have to, but it would be nice.)**


	17. The Return of What Was Taken

**Hola! So, again, my updating schedule's off. I apologize for that, I really do. You know how the end of the school year is. ****I also wish to apologize for the crap make out scene. **Anyway, enjoy!

**I own nothing**

* * *

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted, "Merlin! Merlin!"

Arthur wandered around the caves, yelling for his friend in each one of them, hoping to find him as soon as possible. They needed to talk about the third requirement. Now.

"Arthur! What is it? Have you found the potion?" Merlin blurted, and Arthur turned around to face him.

"Well, sort of. I found a sorceress who has it, but she said she has three requirements." Arthur stated.

"Okay, what are the requirements?"

Arthur put his arm around Merlin's shoulder. "Come on, let's walk to her cave. I'll tell you on the way there.

* * *

"So, what are the requirements?" Merlin asked for the fifty-somethingth time. Arthur hadn't spoken a word, as he was too busy trying to figure out how to tell Merlin about the third requirement. Since they were getting fairly close to the sorceress's cave, Arthur decided it was now or never. He stopped walking, and Merlin did the same. Arthur turned to face the boy.

"Well, the first requirement is that I make magic legal." Arthur revealed.

"Weren't you already planning on doing that as soon as you're king?" Merlin asked.

"Yes, I was. So that one's easy. The second requirement was to never visit the cave again, which is also easy, because it smells like troll farts in there."

Merlin smirked at the comparison, making Arthur grin in return. He couldn't resist. Merlin had such a lovely smile. Which led to the third requirement. "The third requirement is that I..." Arthur trailed off. He couldn't go through with this. The sorceress was wrong, Merlin obviously didn't want to. Arthur was happy to kiss him gently, but that was as far as it went on Merlin's side. He just knew it.

"What's the third requirement, Arthur? And hurry, please, I really need my magic back!" Merlin begged, and Arthur's knees felt weak. _How could I let my own cowardice keep Merlin from his magic? A part of him, like Camelot is to me. How could I be so selfish and cruel?_

Arthur took a deep breath. "Merlin, the third requirement is that I..." His heart sped up, and Arthur could barely think. "I'm required to kiss you."

"Well, that's easy. We've done that before." Merlin asked, taking a step closer to Arthur.

"Well, yes, but we're supposed to make out." He stated, stepping even closer to the other man. He could feel Merlin's breath on his lips. "Right now," he whispered as he leaned in, his lips meeting Merlin's yet again.

Merlin smiled against his lips as Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist, resting his hands on the boy's hips. He could feel Merlin's hands on his shoulder blades, running along his scar from the dragon attack. Then Arthur bit Merlin's bottom lip and the boy gasped, allowing Arthur's tongue to pass into his mouth. Merlin's met him halfway there, and their tongues coiled together in a magnificent dance.

Finally, Arthur pulled back to breathe, which he'd forgotten was a necessary bodily function. When he saw Merlin's wide eyes and red, swollen lips, he dived right back in.

At that moment, neither man was thinking of Camelot, the requirements, or what would happen to their relationship when they returned. They simply enjoyed each other's company.

* * *

Arthur opened his eyes. Next to him, he felt Merlin's warm body, but aside from that it was stone cold. Wait a minute... stone. He looked around to confirm his suspicions. They were in a cave.

Then last night came flying into his mind. Nothing... questionable... happened, they simply stood there caressing each other before moving into a cave and sleeping side by side.

Merlin stirred next to him and Arthur kissed him good morning. Merlin smiled, stood up, and started packing his things. "Come on, you big prat, let's go get my magic back!" Arthur gathered his supplies and walked with Merlin back to the cave with the sorceress in it.

* * *

When they entered the cave, hands entwined, the sorceress giggled. Forget dragons and griffins, that was the scariest sight Arthur had ever seen!

"Ah," She began giddily, "I see you fulfilled my third requirement. Now, what about the other two?"

Arthur began to speak, but Merlin cut him off. "They are fulfilled, as promised. Arthur vowed to legalize magic when he accepted the existence of my own. And as for the second requirement, consider it done. This place is filthy anyway."_ Yeah, it smells like the stables when they haven't been mucked in weeks, _Arthur thought.

The woman looked offended for a moment, but quickly morphed her face into one of satisfaction. "Very well. As promised, you may have the Dragonsbreath Potion." She reached behind her back and held the potion out to Merlin. He quickly grabbed it.

Arthur felt the need to thank her."Many thanks, sorceress, for providing my... lover with the means to cure his curse." At the use of the word "lover" she squealed in such a high frequency that she sounded like a dolphin.

* * *

Merlin and Arthur walked out of the cave and away from the creepy sorceress, so Merlin could drink the potion in relative peace.

"Okay," Merlin began, "I have no idea how this is going to work, so if I collapse to the floor, don't get too close. Just in case. Here goes." Arthur gave Merlin's hand a reassuring squeeze, and Merlin swallowed the fire-colored potion.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a ring of what Arthur likened to liquid fire began swirling around his feet. It coiled upward, eventually engulfing Merlin's entire body.

It stayed like that for a while, just swirling like a cloud of fire, and Arthur found himself transfixed.

When it finally drifted into the ground, he was a little disappointed. That didn't last, as the moment Arthur saw Merlin's golden eyes, he was filled with joy. Merlin had his magic back! Already, the man in front of Arthur seemed happier, more complete. That, in turn, made Arthur feel complete.

"Are you okay?" Arthur asked Merlin.

He smirked. "Never better!"


	18. Let's Go Home

**Hi guys! So, I know I haven't updated in a while, but like I said before, the end of the school year is hectic. Now, I looked back and realized that I completely crapped up this fic. So I went back and changed chapters 16 and 17 to make it make more sense. Enjoy!**

* * *

The pair had traveled for a day. In the beginning, it was easy; Merlin had gotten his magic back, which was exciting for both he and Arthur. Then the buzz started to fade, and their pace slowed considerably.

Now, Arthur found himself dragging his feet and mentally punching himself for not bringing horses. Yes, he was trying to be stealthy and sneak up on Merlin, but still, some horses would be nice right about now. Besides, he needed to get back within a week so his father wouldn't be suspicious.

The sky was darkening to a shade of navy blue, and the boys knew it was time to find a place to sleep. Arthur scouted around manually for a while before Merlin cleared his throat to catch his attention. Arthur whirled around to face him, and Merlin's eyes were glowing gold. He stood there for a while, and Arthur was mesmerized. Merlin didn't look like Merlin. He didn't look a thing like the clumsy manservant Arthur knows. No, this is a powerful Merlin.

Merlin blinked, and his eyes were back to that lovely shade of blue. He smirked and pointed to Arthur's left. There was a perfect sleeping spot right there. Arthur shook his head as he walked to it, but couldn't hold back a smile.

They unpacked their bedrolls and set them side-by-side, falling asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

The next day, they walked. Nothing interesting happened, and Arthur, used to constant combat, was bored out of his wits. It was about noon, and so far, they'd been traveling in silence. Arthur couldn't stand it anymore.

"So, Merlin, what else have you saved me from?" He asked, trying to spark a conversation.

"You mean with my magic?" Arthur nodded. "Well, a lot of things. Remember the black knight from when you were declared Crown Prince? Remember how he couldn't be killed?" Arthur nodded again. "Well, Gaius and I found out that he couldn't be killed because he was already dead, so I went to Kilgharrah-"

Arthur cut him off, "The dragon, right?"

Merlin nodded and continued, "I went to Kilgharrah and he breathed on a sword I stole from Gwen's father's shop. The dragon breathed on it so it can kill anything, even if it's already dead."

Arthur was amazed. "Why didn't you keep it? Or give it to me? Why did you give it to my father?"

"Well, Kilgharrah was actually mad at me for that. It was meant for you and only you, but your father found me first, and demanded that he use the sword. Then, I threw it in a lake so it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands," Merlin explained.

"A lake, Merlin? If you want to hide a dangerous weapon, lock it up in an abandoned castle or something! Anyone could take it out of the lake!"

Merlin shrugged, ending the conversation.

That night went much the same as the last, except Arthur didn't bother to look for a place to sleep. Merlin used his magic, and they slept. Arthur enjoyed it thoroughly as throughout this five-day trip, he'd gotten about three nights' worth of sleep.

He fell asleep so quickly that he missed Merlin murmur, "Goodnight, Love."

* * *

The next day was no more eventful than the last, except for the fact that Arthur was getting worried. They'd been in Uther's territory for a while, but they hadn't seen any guard patrols. At first, he was able to pass it off as _they don't always come out this far,_ but now they were within a day of Camelot, and there would normally be patrols in the forest.

Merlin, however, didn't seem too worried. However, appear is the key word here, as when Arthur looked closer, he could see that Merlin was visibly shaking. He thought of asking what was wrong, but Merlin didn't look like he wanted to talk about it.

They continued walking, each worrying more and more by the second. Arthur signaled to stop a few hours before dusk, and they ate. The provisions were running low, so all that was left was two loafs of stale bread. Merlin divided each into four equal pieces with his magic, and each ate one-fourth, wishing they hadn't finished the rabbit at breakfast.

After that, the walking continued, and still a word hadn't been spoken. They were battered and bruised, not to mention covered in grime. Arthur thought about asking Merlin to clean them with his magic, but yet again, he didn't look like he wanted to talk. The servant was shivering and shaking even though it was a decent temperature. Merlin hadn't said a word since last night, and even that was difficult to muster. Arthur hadn't even heard it.

After a few hours, the sun began to set, and Arthur stopped, waiting for Merlin to do his magic thing. However, the boy was only staring into space. When Arthur glanced in the direction of Merlin's stare, he realized it was Camelot. Passing it off as homesickness, Arthur found a place to sleep and guided Merlin, still in a trance-like state, to a bedroll next to his.

He wrapped his arms around the boy, hoping to stop the constant shivering. Somewhere deep in his mind, he was thinking, _these aren't normal homesickness symptoms. Something is wrong with him. _However, before he could act on these assumptions, Arthur had fallen asleep.

* * *

The seventh day of their journey was to hopefully be the last, as Arthur's excuse would only last so long.

Everything Arthur tried received no response from Merlin. He simply stared off into space, in whatever direction Camelot was in. It seemed instinctual, or magical, and Arthur was worried about him. He'd barely eaten his fourth of a bread loaf that morning, and now the sun was almost at its highest point in the sky.

Suddenly, Arthur felt eyes on him. He stopped walking and turned around to face the source, then gasped when he saw. Merlin was looking at him! Not looking through him like was earlier, but actually looking at him! Arthur was very happy, until he saw the sunken eyes and devastated face of his lover.

Merlin had no words, he only pointed behind Arthur. The prince saw nothing but trees, so he walked forward a little more, and saw it. There were flames rising into the sky, and cannons were being fired, sending smoke to tangle with the flames in the air. The stone walls were collapsed in places, and screaming could be heard miles away.

Camelot was under attack.


	19. So That Was Her Plan All Along

**Hi Guys! School's out! Yay! This story is almost finished, there'll probably be one or two more chapters, followed by an epilogue, and then I've got an idea for another fic. I won't tell you because I know you just want to read the chapter. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Before Arthur knew it, he was running towards Camelot. He didn't need to look back to know that Merlin was following close behind. It didn't even occur to him that Merlin could use his magic to teleport them until he was suddenly running through the courtyard.

It was in shambles. There were piles of debris scattered everywhere, and there was no one to be seen. Arthur looked behind him to see Merlin looking a mix between terrified and powerful. He had to admit, it was a beautiful look for the boy.

Arthur started running towards the castle's council chambers, looking for anyone on the way. _It's strange that there's no one here. Where are they? _He continued running through the corridors, screeching to a stop when the doors to the council chambers lie ahead of him. He glanced at Merlin, silently giving him a signal to use his magic and see what was going on in there.

Although Arthur himself couldn't see it, he did see the horrified look on Merlin's face, and he understood what Merlin mouthed to him. _Morgana. _

Arthur wanted to punch himself in the face. Of course this was her plan! Why else would she get rid of Merlin's magic? She wanted Arthur to follow him, leaving the kingdom weak, so she could take control. It should have been obvious, but, given the choice, Arthur still would have gone after Merlin.

Arthur swallowed and assembled his face into a mask of fearless determination before bursting the door open. Merlin stayed behind in case a surprise was needed.

What he saw caused him to freeze in the middle of his charge. Morgana was sitting on the throne like she belonged there, which Arthur had expected. However, he had not anticipated seeing what was in her hand. She was holding a stick, but that wasn't the bad part.

Uther's head was speared on the top of the stick, the end of it poking through the top of his skull. The wood was stained with blood, and Arthur couldn't look any longer.

He shifted his gaze back to Morgana, meeting her amused eyes and evil smirk with what he hoped was a look of determination, but probably looked more like horror. Arthur couldn't believe this was the same girl he used to consider his best friend. He couldn't believe that sweet, innocent girl had become this monster that murders people in cold blood.

Then again, he could see her point of view on things. After all, Uther had also murdered people in cold blood, but why couldn't Morgana see that Arthur isn't like that? Is it so hard to believe that he's a good person?

Apparently so, as Morgana began speaking. "Hello, dear brother," she smirked, "long time no see."

"Morgana. I see you've killed father," he commented, gesturing toward their father's head.

"Yes, though I like to think that I've removed a great evil from this world, and avenged the deaths of many innocent people," Morgana retorted. Beside her, her guards smiled in agreement.

"You're right," Arthur agreed.

Morgana stuttered, "Wh-wh-wh-what?"

"I said you're right," Arthur repeated, "Uther killed many people in cold blood. He wrongly believed that magic is evil, and killed people for how they were born. That was wrong. However, you have also killed people in cold blood, including Uther."

"Yes, but they deserved it! They were not innocent women and children!" Argued Morgana.

Arthur chose to ignore her and continued, "I don't know why you can't understand that I'm not like him. I accept magic." Morgana gasped, and behind the door, Merlin grinned. "I was planning on making it legal whenever I became king. I was not expecting that to be so soon."

"What do you mean? You're not king yet. _I _rule Camelot now. If you want the crown, you'll have to kill me first," Morgana challenged. Her two guards unsheathed their swords and stood in front of her.

"Gladly." Arthur unsheathed his sword and charged at her. She leapt out of the throne and sent magical flames in Arthur's direction. He flinched, expecting to be burnt, but he was miraculously okay!

Arthur turned around and saw Merlin smile at him. Merlin then turned to face the two guards, and with one look, they were sent flying across the room, landing with a crack as their skulls fractured against the floor. Arthur and Merlin then stood side by side in front of Morgana, waiting for her next move.

Morgana, startled by the arrival of Merlin, and the fact that he had his magic back, found herself cornered by the two. She raised her hands in defense, her lips forming a spell, but she was too slow.

Merlin muttered, "_Et hoc quod aliquis possit interficere gladio et tempus officiunt_," and Arthur's sword glowed a golden yellow. He took the hint and plunged it into Morgana's vulnerable chest, the sorceress gasping in surprise.

Arthur stared into her eyes, holding his gaze until he could see the last drop of life drain out of them. He then withdrew his bloodied sword, allowing her body to sink to the floor, curled up in a pool of her own blood.

Arthur was transfixed. Never had he felt such a confusing combination of emotions. He felt sad that he'd lost a sister and a friend, but really, he'd lost her a long time ago. Mostly her felt relief that another threat to his father's- no, to _his _kingdom hand been eradicated. His father was dead.

He turned around and met Merlin's eyes. All Arthur wanted to do was cry into his lover's shoulder and whimper about his father's death and Morgana's betrayal, but he knew he had to be a strong king.

"Merlin, we need to find everyone. Where are they?" Arthur was very much hoping they weren't all dead. He didn't think he could handle that all in one day.

Merlin's eyes glowed golden before he announced, "They're in the dungeons, but not everyone. Some didn't make it."

Arthur nodded solemnly before saying, "Let's go release whoever's left."

He grabbed Merlin's hand and they ran down the corridors towards the dungeon, and Arthur was proud of himself. He didn't look back at his father's head on a staff.

* * *

**PS: The spell Merlin used is Latin for "This sword shall temporarily be able to kill anyone and anything that shall stand in its way". I know, not very creative, but since this is set between seasons 3 and 4, Arthur doesn't have Excalibur yet, it's in a lake. So I needed a quick solution to the "No mere mortal blade can kill me" predicament. :)**


	20. The Only One

**Hello, guys! I'm thinking maybe one more chapter after this, and then an epilogue! I can't believe it's almost over! I hope this fic is okay, and I'm not going to be that person like "but it's my first fic so it's okay if it sucks". It's really not, so I hope you've all enjoyed the journey. Now, enjoy this chapter! That's an order! :)**

**I don't own Merlin**

* * *

As he and Merlin ran down the corridors toward the dungeons, Arthur couldn't help but think about their future. Uther was dead, so Arthur would be king. He knew this. They'd find a way to rebuild the walls, and he'd make magic legal. But what about Merlin and Arthur? What about _their _future. He'd been so worried about what Uther might think that he hadn't even thought about the public, or Gaius for that matter. If the public didn't approve, there was little he could do. Most people think that the royalty would have the most power, but that is far from true. The civilians are the real controllers of the kingdom, and if they're not happy, no one is. The people have much more power than the monarchs, and royalty must have the public's support, or nothing can happen.

However, he pushed these thoughts aside, forcing himself into "Prince Mode" _Or is it King Mode now?_ Either way, his only thoughts now were of the citizens trapped in the dungeons.

"Arthur, do you want me to use my magic to free them or...?" Merlin asked from Arthur's right-hand side.

"No, not yet. I promise you, though, as soon as possible, you will be able to practice magic freely," Arthur replied, and he meant it. Even if the people who had always been loyal to Uther were not happy about it, that was one law he was willing to use force to back up.

"Fine by me," Merlin began, smiling, "but how are we going to get them out?"

It was a good question, but luckily, Arthur had thought of it already. He held up his hand, and in it he grasped a set of keys. "I took them from Morgana, before I killed her. Figured we'd need them."

Merlin smiled and nodded, continuing towards the dungeons.

* * *

They rounded a corner, Arthur first, Merlin a few steps behind him, as agreed, to keep up appearances as master and servant. "Arthur! And oh, Merlin!" A familiar voice sounded from within the cells.

Merlin saw him before Arthur did. "Gaius!" called the sorcerer. "Arthur, hand me the keys!" Arthur did so and smiled, as they were literally in front of the entire citadel, and Merlin didn't call him 'sire'. Merlin released Gaius and the others in his cell, then asked Gaius, "Is anyone hurt badly? Bad enough not to be able to move?"

"No, my boy, everyone's alright. Morgana didn't care too much about us, only the throne."

"Yes, she was like that," Arthur responded as Merlin nodded and began to unlock the other cells.

"Was?" Questioned Gaius, "What happened?"

"I killed her," said Arthur.

"You did? How? She's a High Priestess!" Gaius exclaimed. Arthur yet again realized how much he needed Merlin by his side. If the sorcerer had not been there, Morgana definitely would have killed him.

In a hushed voice, Arthur answered, "With some help," and gestured towards Merlin. Gaius got the idea and nodded.

"Arthur!" called Merlin, "Little help here? I got everyone out, but in case you haven't noticed, it's chaos!" Arthur hadn't noticed, but Merlin words rang true. The many citizens of Camelot were crowded into the dungeons, and to top it all of, they were starving and dirty.

Arthur nodded to Merlin, then shouted, "Citizens of Camelot!" It went silent. "I am so very, very sorry that I was out on a-" He paused, but decided not to tell the truth just yet, "-hunting trip! It was very badly timed, and I apologize greatly. I will tell you all more later. For now, if you could all please follow Merlin out to the courtyard, I will meet you all there." Yet again, Arthur thought of how terrible of a lie this was. Sickening, really.

Merlin began walking out of the dungeons, the crowd of citizens following him. Someone familiar walked up to Arthur. "Sire. It is great to have you back. Pardon me, but what of your father or Morgana?" It was Sir Leon, the only one of Uther's knights who ever talked to Arthur in at least a somewhat friendly manner.

"As I'm sure I've told you before, it's Arthur. Just Arthur." Leon nodded. "My father is dead, as is Morgana. I killed her, and she killed him. His head is on a staff in the throne room, lying near her body, which we will need to dispose of soon." Leon nodded again, and solemnly went to follow Merlin. After he left, Arthur thought about his own words. His father was dead, as well as his half-sister. His mother'd been gone for a long time. He realized that he was the only one left.

Gaius walked over, snapping Arthur out of his thoughts. He said, "I am sorry for your loss, sire. I trust you will explain the _rest _of the story to me later?"

"Of course," Arthur nodded, and he and Gaius walked out to the courtyard.

* * *

When Arthur reached the courtyard, he searched the crowd for Merlin's familiar face. As they made eye contact, Arthur silently told Merlin to accompany him to the balcony. As they walked, Arthur gave Merlin instructions.

"I'm going to tell them everything, and if they don't take it well, then they don't have to stay in Camelot. At first, stand in your respective position as my servant, but when I gesture for you to come forward, do so calmly, like you're completely confident. It gives them confidence." Merlin nodded, eyes wide. Arthur continued, "I'm going to tell them that I lied, and I'll tell them why I was gone. I'll tell them about your magic, and if they don't take it well, then I won't go any further. However, if they seem accepting, I will tell them of our relationship. Is this okay with you?"

Merlin nodded. "I think it's perfect. We need to tell them eventually, so why not hit them with a bunch of information at once? That way they won't be focusing on one thing for too long."

"Alright." Arthur stopped walking, they had reached the balcony. "Ready when you are."

"Let's go," Merlin confirmed, and Arthur pushed the doors open to face the masses.


	21. Acceptance

**Hello! This will be "technically" the last chapter, although I'm still planning an epilogue. I've certainly enjoyed this journey, and I hope you all have too! Enjoy!**

**I (sadly) don't own Merlin, or this would happen:**

* * *

It was silent. Arthur had been expecting mumbling or some kind of conversation to be going on among the public, but they were all waiting there in anticipation of what he had to say.

Arthur was not worried for himself, but rather for Merlin. Both of the major topics he was going to talk about were related to the servant. Not only did Merlin have magic, but the public needs to accept his and Arthur's relationship. If they don't, he'd most likely be banished, and Arthur did not want to see that happen.

"People of Camelot; I owe you some answers." There were murmurs of agreement, so Arthur continued, "In this past week, a lot has happened. Some things you know about, others you do not. I aim to fix that. As far as you all know, I was on a hunting trip. Well, that is not true." Gasps of surprise echoed off the walls of the castle. "I was on a trip with my... manservant, Merlin."

Arthur gestured for Merlin to step forward, and he did. However, he was still standing a few feet back, as arranged. "Merlin was cursed by Morgana, who attacked myself, Gwaine, Percival, Guinevere, and Merlin while we were supposedly on a hunting trip. In reality, it was my date with Gwen." Arthur searched the crowd and found Gwen's wide eyes. She was obviously shocked that Arthur was saying all this, but seemed proud at the same time.

"The curse was to rid one of their magic." More gasps of surprise sounded, as well as one raised eyebrow from none other than Gaius. "Yes, Merlin is a warlock. I followed him on his quest to regain his magic because I believe that my father was wrong. Magic cannot be evil, for it is something people are born with. No child is born evil, it is how they're raised. Magic only seems evil to us because magic-users are trying to get their rights back, and they deserve it. By banning magic, we made them evil. Camelot will now allow and accept magic-users, and if any of you are not happy with this, feel free to leave. No one is making you stay."

Arthur watched as many citizens shuffled their feet awkwardly and looked around to see if anyone they knew wanted to leave. Arthur decided to act on it. "If you wish to leave, please do so now. The gates are that way." As he pointed, six men and five women backed out of the crowd and ran towards the gates. "Those of you who choose to stay, know that any intolerance towards magic will be punished."

"Now, if I may continue. Since most of you took that well, there is more you need to know." Arthur reached back to grab Merlin's hand, holding it tightly. Sounds of disapproval and disgust sounded along with noises of confusion. "Merlin is my lover. If you do not accept this, you may follow those eleven out of Camelot." Arthur turned to Merlin and took his other hand. Merlin smiled proudly at him as Arthur leaned in for a kiss. As soon as their lips met, neither man heard the cries of disgust, nor the cheers of acceptance.

When they pulled apart, there were only a few people missing from the crowd. This made Arthur happy, as the rest of them had smiles on their faces. They were happy for their new king, and his lover. Arthur looked for Gwen, who surprisingly looked like she knew this would happen, and she seemed okay with it.

It was Merlin's turn to speak. "Umm, Hi! So, basically, I'm supposed to tell you what happened from my point of view. We were attacked by Morgana, and she used her magic to knock everyone unconscious, but I just faked it. Then, I got up and attacked her with my own magic. Oh, I should say, I've been using my magic in Camelot for years, but only to protect Arthur."

All at once, the crowd went, "Awwwww..." It made Merlin blush, and Arthur squeezed his hand even tighter.

"I've fought griffins, sorcerers, all sorts of things. They all had one thing in common, and that's that they were a threat to Arthur and to Camelot. Also, I should probably mention, I'm not just any old warlock. The Druids have a name for me. It's Emrys. There's a prophecy, telling of the Once and Future King and Emrys, his protector. As most of you can guess, Arthur is the Once and Future King. That prophecy was told to me by Kilgharrah, the Dragon who lives underneath the castle." Sounds of fright resounded from the crowd, and Merlin added, "He won't hurt you. He's under my control, for I am also the Last Dragonlord. I know, so many titles. Well, don't worry. Everyone just calls me Merlin." _Except for Kilgharrah, _Arthur thought, chuckling a bit under his breath.

Arthur smiled proudly at his lover. Merlin doesn't act like it, but he's a pretty decent talker. After all, how many speeches of Arthur's has he wrote? Arthur said, "So, about this trip. We traveled to the Eastern Mountains-"

Merlin cut him off, "Yeah, on foot, because a certain _prat _forgot horses."

Arthur rolled his eyes, grinning fondly. "-to get the Dragonsbreath potion from an old sorceress. This potion can cure all curses, and we used it to get Merlin's magic back." He decided not to talk about the three requirements, as they'd probably had enough of the kissing.

Merlin butted in, "Then, we _walked _back here." A few members of the crowd snickered, and Arthur smiled. They liked Merlin already.

Arthur's face turned serious. "We came back to find Camelot under attack. In the throne room, I killed Morgana, with Merlin's help of course. Uther is dead, for those of you who don't know. She killed him, leaving me the title of King of Camelot. My coronation will be tomorrow, and after I officially legalize magic, Merlin and any other magic-users who wish to help can help rebuild the castle and the walls." The crowd cheered, and Arthur held up his hand, silencing them. "One last order of business before I dismiss you. I am aware that many of your homes were destroyed, and you have no place to go. There is not enough room at the tavern or the inn, so those of you who have nowhere to go, please make yourself at home in the castle. I can provide bedrolls and food, free of charge. You can sleep in the dining halls, the council chambers, and the hallways. There will be guards looking for rowdy behavior, so please behave yourselves. You are dismissed."

* * *

Later, once everyone was situated in the castle, Arthur led Merlin up to his chambers.

"So, what do you think? A whole new life," Arthur began. "I'll make you Court Sorcerer, and everyone will recognize your accomplishments."

"That's great and all, but all I've ever wanted is you to accept me, and you do. I'm happier than I've ever been," Merlin announced.

"Me too," Arthur agreed, and the two fell asleep in Arthur's bed. It had always been too large for him, but with Merlin by his side, it was the perfect size.


	22. Aurelia

**Hi guys! We made it! The epilogue! Well, time for some shout-outs. Thanks a bunch to **merlinreveal3**, who showed me my huge failure and where I needed to change it. There are so many of you who reviewed (which makes me very happy)! I can't list all of you, so here are who I consider my best reviewers. Thanks to **Loulou2a **for being an amazing reviewer, I really appreciated your comments. Also, thanks to **mersan123**, who along with **Loulou2a**, has been there with me since the beginning. Last but definitely not least,** overwhelmedbythefandoms **said that this was one of the best merthur fanfictions he/she's ever read! You have no idea how good that made me feel, thank you SO MUCH! I love all of you, not just these three! Please enjoy!****  
**

**I don't own Merlin, but if I did... *evil cackle***

* * *

A loud cry jolted Arthur awake. He jolted out of bed, careful not to disturb Merlin, who was lying asleep next to him.

Arthur ran to the crib and held his daughter, soothing her cries. She switched to whimpering, and Arthur smiled. She smiled back, showing off the adorable dimples on her pale little face. He couldn't believe this was his life now. He had a husband, a daughter, and a kingdom to rule. It was a lot of work, but completely worth it.

There was some stirring by the bed. "Arthur?" Merlin mumbled, then more clearly, "What is it? Why are you out of bed? The sun's not even up and I'm cold. Come back to bed." He paused, and Arthur still didn't turn around. "Arthur? Is something wrong? Is Aurelia okay?"

"She's fine, love. Her crying woke me up," Arthur announced, turning to face Merlin. "I tried not to wake you up, but I see that didn't work," he smirked.

Merlin smiled back, "You know I'm a light sleeper. Now hand her over."

Arthur complied, passing Aurelia into Merlin's warm arms. She was only three weeks old, and she only slept through the night on rare occasions. Three weeks ago, Arthur and Merlin had adopted Aurelia at her birth, because her birth parents didn't want her. It was sad, but Arthur was glad it had happened, because how else were they going to end up with a baby?

Aurelia looked surprisingly like both of them, adopted or not, and Arthur had a sneaking suspicion that Merlin had something to do with that. She had Merlin's pale skin tone, accompanied by Arthur's blonde locks. Her eyes were a sight to be seen. They were mostly green, but speckles of blue dusted them lightly, as well as a ring of gold around her pupil. She was absolutely beautiful.

Arthur looked lovingly at Merlin holding their baby in front of their Camelot-red bed. It was a picture of all he loved: Merlin, Aurelia, and Camelot. He only wished Merlin could rule beside him. It was unheard of for there to be two kings, so Arthur had improvised. He made Merlin his court sorcerer, husband, and closest adviser. It was a good as it was going to get, and Arthur was happy.

* * *

Later, when it was actually morning, Merlin and Arthur decided to take Aurelia on a walk through the castle. Merlin was holding the baby close to his chest, and Arthur walked beside him, ready to help if it was needed. It never was.

When they passed Gwen, she was smiling brightly up at Lancelot, her fingers entwined with his. Arthur was happy for her; she found her true love, as did he. Gwen had taken the news a lot better than expected, saying that she'd seen it all along, and that it was only a matter of time until one of them acted on it. When they adopted Aurelia, she had squealed with joy, and cuddled with her every possible moment.

Right now, however, she was a little busy with Lancelot, so Arthur and Merlin kept walking. When they reached Gaius's chambers, the couple silently agreed to go visit him.

Lying on the bed was a bruised and bloodied teen named Mordred. Merlin passed Aurelia into Arthur's arms and ran over to Mordred.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "What happened?"

"I was in training, and Kara started attacking me," Mordred replied.

"Kara? I thought you two were together. What happened?" Merlin asked.

"She found someone better," he sighed. "When I got angry after she broke up with me, she started attacking me with her magic, and shouting in my mind." Mordred held his head. "It hurt."

Merlin nodded his sympathy, and asked Mordred, "Do you know where Gaius is?"

"He went down to the training field to find Kara," Mordred responded.

"Thank you," Merlin replied, and started walking towards the door. Arthur followed him, Aurelia still in his arms.

* * *

At the training fields, Arthur scanned the crowd for Gaius. There were many young people running around, both sorcerers and warriors. Soon after Arthur made magic legal, he opened up a training program for sorcerers and sorceresses that branched off of the Knight's program. Now magic fought side-by-side with swords, creating the perfect army. Some sorcerers would attack, some would shield everyone, and some would help Gaius by healing the injured on the field. Arthur liked this new Camelot. _It's a perfect place for Aurelia to grow up, _he thought.

He found the physician yelling at a young woman, presumably Kara. _Poor girl, _thought Arthur. _But if kind old Gaius is yelling at her, it must have been pretty bad. _

Arthur remembered when Gaius had yelled at him for following Merlin, even though he had known he'd do it. That time almost rivaled the angry shouts that Arthur received when Gaius found out about him listening to his and Merlin's conversation. He'd gotten over it, though, and was now a proud sort-of grandfather of Aurelia.

When Gaius seemed to be done, Arthur shouted, "Gaius! We've come to visit you!"

"Is something wrong, Sire?" Gaius asked. Arthur had managed to make almost everyone just call him 'Arthur', but Gaius never would.

"No, nothing's wrong. We're just visiting you on our walk with Aurelia," Arthur responded, drawing Gaius's attention to the bundle in his arms.

Gaius reached over and took the baby out of Arthur's hold, pulling her close to his own chest instead. The old physician's eyes turned gold for a moment, and he said, "She's completely healthy."

Merlin responded, "I know, Gaius. I can do that myself. Actually, I do it every night before she goes to sleep."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. This was the first time he'd heard of that! Then again, it didn't surprise him. Merlin is the overprotective parent in their little family.

Gaius rolled his eyes, handing Aurelia back to Arthur. "I'll see you both later," he stated.

"Bye, Gaius!" Arthur and Merlin both sounded, while Arthur picked up Aurelia's tiny hand and pretended to wave.

Gaius smiled and waved back while Arthur and Merlin walked back to their chambers.

* * *

It was very late at night when Merlin and Arthur were yet again woken by Aurelia's cries. Arthur sighed and stumbled tiredly over to her.

He stood by the side of the wooded crib and reached down to pick her up when his foot brushed against the wardrobe. On top of that wardrobe was the sword he'd used to kill Morgana.

It came tumbling down, and Merlin was too tired to react quick enough. The sword was heading point-fist towards Aurelia. Arthur was frozen in place, his heart not beating, when the sword stopped. In midair, it just stopped.

Arthur looked to Merlin, but his eyes were a normal blue, and he looked almost a confused as Arthur.

Then, a thought struck him. Arthur grabbed the sword, placing it by his bed, and looked down at Aurelia.

He was just in time to see the gold retreating to the ring around her pupil.

Arthur looked to Merlin, who smiled, and Arthur couldn't help but smile back.

Their lives just got a whole lot more interesting.


End file.
